Engine Room Layout

CAMELLA

CAMELLA

Active Member
Dec 14, 2008
1,046
Annapolis, Maryland
Boat Info
2016 510 Fly
Engines
Cummins QSM-11
Yesterday I changed the fuel and air filters on my boat. As I'm twisted and up side down changing the port side racor filters I'm thinking to myself who in the hell designed the engine room layout, definately not a mechanic. You would think the standard maintenance parts would have easy access. I wonder how the larger Sea Ray technicians fit and work in these tight places? Not sure if all the Sea Rays are like this but I would hope the newer boats have a better layout. Do others feel my pain or is there a trick for working in these tight places that I'm missing?
 
It does provide some explanation as to why you pay so much to have a tall, lanky expert with long arms get down there and do his magic!
 
A few have been caught down there with no way to get out. There are some comments on other threads about this. If your compartment is tight make sure someone knows your down there and expects you out at a specified time. Keep the cell phone handy.
 
I have seen my mechanic bend some ways I did not know was humanly possible. Actually, I have been able to get to more things than I ever thought I would.

I don't think this is just an issue with Sea Rays. I rarely have seen a boat or cruiser with plenty of room to get to everything. I think the primary concern is assembly and since the engines and other bilge gear go in before the deck is installed, I suspect this has much to do with it.

Probably the "most workable" bilge I have seen is on my friends '03 300DA. The 08 38DA has lots of room as well.
 
This isn't as much a product of design as it is one of the buying public demanding al the big boat features on smaller boats. You have the same A/C, water heater, bilge pumps, plumbing, engines, etc that the 48DA has in a narrower, shorter space.......and you know what? The 340DA guys have the about same stuff to deal with and work around.

There are, however, some outstanding engine rooms in the various models......the 500DA, the 450DA, the 370EC, to name a few.

This isn't lost on the dealers either. I've had the same technicial working on my boat that did 23 years ago. He is better now, has lots more experience, is the shop foreman, has been to every school Mercruiser and Sea Ray offer, but like the rest of os, he is bigger, slower and doesn't bend as well as he used to. To compensate, the dealer has 2 younger, small guys they are bringing along. They pay gym memberships for them and pay them well to keep them from being recruited away.
 
I understand there is only so much room in the bilge but I think Sea Ray could of put some thought into the location of the routine maintenance parts to make them accessible. I added ball valves, 90 degree elbow, and tubing extension to all the Racor bowls to give me access to the drain them when needed, otherwise you can't even see the plugs from the angle you are at.
 

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Jon, hopefully you know that this maintenance learning curve is a right of passage.

A few of my all time favorites:
Starboard side impeller replacement
Port side battery (3) replacement and maintenance
Any generator maintenance - why could they have not placed this amidships?

A few tips:
Wear mechanics gloves
If working alone, take everything necessary with you as you contort into the confined space and do not come out until the task is done.
 
I have had the upside down blood trails from my 34. This one I had the dealer change them when I got it. I watched so I'll change them out next time. Hate to say it but it has lots of room in the ER. Be back from St Maarten in 3 weeks.

Mike
 
I guess the first time is the worst, I thought it was going to be much easier to get into these tight places, man was I wrong. Now at least I know what to expect, the crazy thing is I only have to bend, twist, and bleed every few months, the technicians are doing this every day! Boattest.com just did an article about the new Cruiser Yacht 48 engine room, very impressive.

http://www.boattest.com/boats/boat_video.aspx?SubID=2250&ID=2352
 
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